Along with the two daily papers, Gannett also takes ownership of non-dailies the Murfreesboro Sun and the Rutherford Courier as part of the deal, along with Murfreesboro sign manufacturer Sign Pro.
In exchange, Morris Multimedia, based in Savannah, Ga., will acquire The Times of Gainesville, Ga., along with several non-daily publications in the Gainesville area. Morris will continue to operate its newspapers and shopper in McMinnville and Smithville, Tenn.
``These publications complement our existing titles in the Middle Tennessee region and will allow Gannett to increase its profile in this dynamic region,'' said Gary Watson, president of Gannett's newspaper division.
Gannett, the country's largest newspaper publisher, already owns several daily papers in the area, including The Tennessean in Nashville and The Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville.
With the exchange, McLean, Va.-based Gannett now publishes 101 daily newspapers across the country, including USA Today, the nation's largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns more than 500 non-daily publications and operates 22 television stations.
Morris operates 35 daily and weekly newspapers and 49 specialty publications.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/2/163874